Poland: bishop resigns for covering sexual abuse

Pope Francis has accepted Bishop Janiak's resignation, a first in Poland.

Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

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Accused of covering up sexual abuse in the Polish Church, Bishop Edward Janiak has resigned.

His resignation was accepted by Pope Francis this weekend.

The Bishop of Kalisz had been the subject of an investigation since June, ordered by the Vatican after the airing of a documentary on a pedophilia scandal in the Church that had shaken Polish society. 

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From our correspondent in Warsaw,

Sarah Bakaloglou

The documentary, titled

Game of Hide and Seek, 

is the second film directed by brothers Tomasz and Marek Sekielski on sexual abuse in the Church, after the release a year ago of the much noticed

Especially, Don't Tell nobody

.

This new film tells the story of two brothers, victims of sexual abuse during their childhood by a Polish priest.

A priest who would have been covered by Bishop Edward Janiak, aware of his actions.

An investigation opened by the Vatican

It was following the broadcast of this documentary last May that the head of the Catholic Church in Poland decided to report the case to the Vatican.

A first in this Catholic country, leading to an investigation, launched two months later, and the sidelining of Bishop Janiak. 

Times are changing

 ", reacted one of the victims, after the resignation of the prelate.

For the first time last year, the Church in Poland gave figures on sexual abuse committed within it: nearly 625 children have been abused since the 1990s. Almost a quarter of the 400 priests who perpetrate violence have been suspended.

Changes that are not going fast enough, however, according to 600 Catholics in the country, who appealed to the Pope last June: " 

we have reported actions

 " to the Vatican and the Polish clergy and " 

there was no reaction 

”, they denounced. 

► See also: 

Poland: the LGBT community must always fight for its rights

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  • Poland

  • Vatican

  • Pope Francis